The action in Indian T20 League 2022-23 is heating up as we enter the business end of the season with just nine games remaining in the league phase.
Only one team - Delhi - has been eliminated from the playoffs race while the remaining nine sides can all qualify for the Indian T20 League playoffs should they win their games and results elsewhere go their way.
With that in mind, let’s look at precisely what the teams must do to make it to the Indian T20 League 2022-23 playoffs.
Indian T20 League 2022-23 playoff qualification scenario
Gujarat
Team Gujarat has been leading the league standings for quite some time now. They have their destiny in their own hands with 16 points from 12 games, meaning a win in their remaining two league stage matches will be enough for them to secure qualification to the playoffs. However, if they lose their last two games and other matches follow a particular sequence of results then Chennai and Lucknow could finish above them in the standings while the likes of Mumbai, Bangalore, and Punjab could be tied on points with them, meaning the team with the best net run rate goes through. That said, Gujarat should have enough in the tank to get the one win that will guarantee their playoff spot.
Chennai
With 15 points from 13 games, Chennai looks in a good position to qualify for the playoffs. All they need to do is simply win their remaining league stage contest. Should Chennai lose their last league stage game against an already-eliminated Delhi side, there are chances that the southern franchise could be knocked out of the playoff reckoning since as many as five other teams could finish above their tally of 15 points. That said, should the other results go in their favour, Chennai could qualify for the playoffs without even winning a single game.
Mumbai
Mumbai has built up a head of steam as the tournament has progressed and currently has 14 points from 12 games. If they win both their remaining games then Mumbai guarantee their playoff spot but if they win just one of their remaining two contests, the five-time champions will depend on other results with their net run rate also possibly having a say on their fortunes. Should they lose both games, though, qualification could prove to be very unlikely since three teams would be on 15 points or more, while Mumbai would be on 14 points tied with four teams in the standings and net run rate will come into play.
Lucknow
Lucknow has 13 points from 12 games, meaning two more wins in their remaining games would secure qualification. However, if Lucknow loses and wins one match each then they will be on 15 points, meaning they will hope that other results go in their favour in their bid for a playoff spot. Furthermore, as many as five teams can finish on 16 teams, meaning a win and a loss will not be enough to qualify if results elsewhere go against them. Two losses will result in certain elimination for Lucknow.
Bangalore
With 12 points from 12 games, Bangalore needs to win both their matches to reach 16 points which seems like a mark where plenty of teams will end up at. However, Bangalore has a healthy net run rate which will be in their favour should other teams like Mumbai and Punjab also end up in the same position with the same points but an inferior run rate. Should they lose and win one of their remaining games, Bangalore will be on 14 points and depend on several results going their way to secure qualification, which seems highly unlikely. Losing both their games will, of course, rule them out of the playoff race.
Rajasthan
With 12 points from 13 games, Rajasthan have slim hopes of qualifying and needs to win their last league stage game to stay alive. Even if they win their last game, they will still need other results to go their way, which in essence boils down to the likes of Bangalore, Lucknow, and Punjab, all losing their remaining games. Furthermore, should Bangalore, Lucknow, and Punjab’s results go as per Rajasthan’s script, they would still need Hyderabad to lose at least one of their remaining matches against Gujarat and Mumbai. Only then will Rajasthan have an outside chance of qualifying as they would be in a fourth-place battle with Kolkata, which they should win due to a better run rate.
Punjab
One of six teams that could finish on 16 points or more, Punjab currently have 12 points from 12 games and need to win their remaining games to qualify for the playoffs. However, their run rate isn’t great at the moment, meaning they need to win their last two league stage games by a big margin to have a chance of progressing to the playoffs. If they lose one of their last two games, it will weaken their chances as they could be embroiled in a battle for the fourth spot with 14 points with as many as four teams, all of whom are likely to boast a superior run rate.
Kolkata
Kolkata with 12 points from 13 games and a negative net run rate has an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Needless to say, a loss in their remaining league-stage game will knock them out of playoff contention while a win will push them to 14 points. Should they win their last game, they will then hope that a maximum of three sides do not go beyond 14 points. One way such a scenario is possible is if Lucknow loses their last two matches, while Bangalore and Punjab lose at least one of their two matches left to play. Should this sequence of results happen, net run rate would come into play and that’s an area Kolkata will need to improve in their remaining game.
Hyderabad
Hyderabad has eight points from 11 matches and can reach 14 points by winning their last three games. If they do manage to accumulate 14 points, other results will still need to go their way to qualify. For example, if Lucknow wins their last two matches then Gujarat, Lucknow, and Chennai will all have more than 14 points, while Hyderabad, Punjab, and Mumbai will be on 14 points, making it a battle of net run rate for the fourth-placed team. Meanwhile, should Lucknow lose their last two matches and Hyderabad win all three of their matches, then it boils down to a run rate battle between them and the likes of Punjab and Kolkata. Either way run rate will play a role in determining Hyderabad’s fortune should they win all their remaining matches to start with.
Photo credit: Alamy
